Building a Future Crush Pad!

Nothing like needing more space for a barn wedding to move projects along:  we had always planned on building a "crush pad" (for crushing berries and pressing cider) right in front of the barn...at some future date, but with a May wedding in the barn, and the need for more space, the crush pad suddently became an urgency. 

So earlier this week, on Tuesday, we got an entire dump truck load of gravel (around 20 tons).  Jeff and Lars worked every afternoon on moving the gravel to the area in front of the barn where another large concrete slab needs to be poured.  (Luckily we still have Zach's tractor with the hydraulic front bucket to make this a manageable job).











Jens came over on Saturday and with his help we sank 6 pressure treated 6X6X8 posts around the perimeter of the future crush pad and cemented them in. 

On Sunday we build a form between the posts.  We then started building a "stone wall" about 6 inches inside the form to hold back the gravel....that way, there will be a smooth 6" section of cement the entire way around the slab, with the gravel base under the rest of it.  The posts will be reset just a little into the concrete slab and will serve to hold on the railing.  The ground slopes quite a bit at that section, and while the front of the conrete slab is only a step up off the ground, we we will be about 3 ft above the ground in the back - which is perfect for pulling up with a load of fruit later.